Split follower.



No. 668,844; Patented Feb. 28, I90l. A. H. BAKER.

SPLIT FDLLDWER.

(Application filed Feb. 17, 1898.)

(No Iodal.)

\x lTNEEEEEz QQW/ Z rrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRElV H. BAKER, OF BROOKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPLIT FOLLOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 668,844, dated February 26, 190]. Application filed February 17, 1898. Serial No. 670,677. (No model.)

To all whom, it ntay concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW H. BAKER, of Brockton,in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Split Followers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel form of split follower; and it consists in the novel features of construction and relative arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described in the specification, clearly illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, forming a part of this application, in which like characters are used to indicate like parts wherever they occur.

Figure 1 represents in side elevation a split follower constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 represents a perspective View of a compound hinge shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 represents a top plan view of a modified form of my new hinge construction mounted in place in the split follower.

Referring to the drawings,'in the embodiment of my invention therein shown and selected by me for the purpose of illustrating my invention, a represents a split follower, comprising a pivoted heel part or member I) and a divided fore-part member f. The divided fore part and the heel part are connected by a hinge, as shown, having suitable provision not only for permitting the heel to swing toward and from the fore part to lengthen and shorten the last or follower, but also to permit the sections f f of the fore part f to have a lateral play. Springs f, inserted between the sections f, serve to yieldingly force said sections apart against the side of the shoe when the follower is in place, while at the same time permitting the two sections to be forced together while the follower is being inserted or removed. A pin f or other equivalent construction serves to keep the sections f f in alinement and limit the amount of their spreading movement.

In constructing a split follower the block is first sawed on the line 00 below the point to be occupied by the pintle of the hinge, then on the line cc, thereby removing a small wedge-shaped portion. The block is then cut on the line 00 splitting the heel from the fore part. Afterward the fore-part section is divided into two or more members, as desired. The'pintle d of the hinge that unites the two sections is arranged substantially at the apex of the triangular cut. The leaf (l of the hinge is secured by screws or other devices to the inclined wall formed by the out as, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be readily seen that by placing this leaf in the position shown instead of placing it in a horizontal position I avoid the necessity of cutting away a large amount of the stock of the heel-section, thereby not only saving material and cost of construction, but also leaving a relatively small gap between the fore part and heel part. It is very desirable that this space should be as small as practicable in order to keep the shoe or boot distended evenly. The leaf d is provided with three members formed with eyes d, as shown, in which the pintle d is arranged, the central eye d constituting a centering device, as hereinafter described.

6 represents leaves secured in any desired way to the opposite inner faces of the sections f, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At their rear ends these leaves are turned upon themselves to form loops 6, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The whole width of the leaf may be employed to make these loops or a portion only thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, depending upon the size of the leaf, it being only necessary that the width of the loop shall be sufficient in order to afford room for an aperture (2 in which the pintle d is arranged. Each of the loops e is arranged on the pintle d between the end eye d of the leaf (1 and the middle eye or centeringdevicethereof. Thuseachoftheleaves c has a pivotal movement on thepintle d and also a sliding movement thereon, the latter movement being limited by the eyes 01. This construction not only permits the shortening of the follower by turning the heel, but also the free lateral movement of the sections f of the fore part. Furthermore, this form of hinge is cheap in construction and exceed ingly strong. This form of hinge permits the particular arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2-thatis, the arrangement of the leaf d at an angle and the securing of the leaf e on the inner faces of the sections, the two sets of leaves forming the hinge being arranged at an angle to each other, as shown, the particularanglein thisillustration being seventy degrees; but this is not important.

In the form of hinge shown in Fig. 4 the leaf 9 corresponds to the leaf d in Fig. 2, formed with ears g at the end and the central portion. g represents leaves secured to the sections of the fore part, formed with ears 9 arranged on a pintle dbetween the middle and end ears g of the leaf 9.

In both forms of followers it will be observed that the follower can be shortened for insertion and removal, while at the same time the sections composing the fore part have a free lateral movement, facilitating the insertion and removal of the follower and the ready automatic adjustment of the follower to the inside of the shoe when once in place.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, though Without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A follower comprising a heel part, a sectional fore part, a hinge member connected to the heel part, and ahinge member connected to one of the sections of the fore part, and having a sliding connection with the hinge member of the heel part.

2. A follower comprising a heel part, a fore part divided longitudinally into two sections which are separable to distend or widen the fore part, distending-springs between said sections, a hinge member affixed to the heel part, and laterally-movable hinge members affixed independently to the sections of the fore part and engaged with the hinge member on the heel part.

3. A follower comprising a heel part, a fore part divided longitudinally into two sections having vertical inner faces, a transverselyextending hinge-pintle affixed to the heel part, and two hinge-plates attached to the fore-part sections and having sockets loosely engaged with said pintle.

4. A follower-hinge composed of a pintle member adapted for attachment to the heel part of a split follower, and two socket members adapted both to turn and move laterally on the pintle, and adapted for attachment to the sections of a divided fore part.

5. A follower-hinge composed of a pintle member adapted for attachment to the heel part of a split follower, and two socket members having attarhingplates which are arranged substantially at right angles with the pintle members, and are adapted for attach ment to the faces of the sections of the fore art.

6. A follower-hinge composed of a pintle member adapted for attachment to the heel part of a split follower, and two independent socket members adapted for attachment to the sections of a divided fore part, each of saidsocket members being movable laterally, as well as capable of swinging on the pintle member.

7. In a last or analogous device, the combination of a heel part; a hinge-leaf mounted in the inner portion of said heel part and having a plurality of pintle-ears which project forward from the inner wall of said heel part, one car being near one side of the heel part, and another ear being near the other side of the heel part; a hinge-pintle mounted in said ears and extending transversely of the last; a centering device between said ears; a fore part divided lengthwise into two laterallymovable members; a hinge-leaf mounted in each portion of the fore part and divided, each, with a rearwardly-projecting pintle-receiving ear loose on the pintle; and a separating device between the portions of the fore part; the centering device arresting the laterally inward movement of the fore part members.

8. In a last or analogous device, the combination of a heel part with a plurality of fore-part sections each hinged to the heel part and movable laterally from and toward each other, and a separating mechanism between said sections; the heel part swinging upward and forward to shorten the last.

9. A fore part comprising a plurality of fore-part sections, means interposed between said sections to separate them, a heel-piece and a hinge connecting it with said fore-part sections having a transversely-disposed pintle, the fore-part sections each having a pintle-receiving eye movable laterally on said pintle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW H. BAKER.

Witnesses:

A. D. HARRISON, P. W. PEZZETTI. 

